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Richmond World's organizers reach milestone

RICHMOND, VA (BRAIN) — Organizers of the 2015 UCI Road World Championships here say they have raised more than $11 million, about half their fundraising goal for the event.

Organizations, businesses and individuals from around the state have contributed to its initial Founding Partners program, the organizers announced at an event held recently at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. The Gardens was the site of the Lakeside Wheel Club, one of the area’s first bicycling clubs, founded in 1894.

“It is great to see Richmond 2015 making so much progress so early in the preparation for the road world championships,” said Thomas F. Farrell II, chairman and CEO of Virginia's Kings Dominion. “This collective support from the community clearly demonstrates the excitement and enthusiasm around this tremendous opportunity.”

Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones called the race an "unprecedented opportunity to showcase the Richmond region on a global stage.” Jones said the race will have an economic impact of about $158 million. Organizers also say the race will produce 450,000 onsite spectators and a global television audience of more than 300 million viewers.

Upcoming world championships will be held in Florence, Italy, this year and Ponferrada, Spain, in 2014.